It took me a while to get used to seeing Dawson Creek star Joshua Jackson in Fringe, but like the series itself, Jackson eventually found a groove that I enjoyed revisiting. Now it seems he’s sticking with the supernatural themes from Fringe with his next project. Jackson has signed on for the lead in UFO, an adaptation of the cult-hit British TV series.

Jackson will be playing the of Paul Foster, which Variety describes (along with the plot) as “a test pilot who joins S.H.A.D.O. (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization), a covert org built under a Hollywood studio that defends Earth against a race of aliens who have been abducting humans and using the body parts.” I haven’t heard much about this series, but I could definitely see the premise working for a decent B-level sci-fi romp.

The film will be directed by Matthew Gratzner, a first-time director who has worked as the visual effects supervisor on films like Iron Man, Shutter Island, and The Fountain. The script comes courtesy of first-time screenwriters Ryan Gaudet and Joseph Kanarek.

Given Gratzner’s massive SFX credentials, UFO will probably look great at the very least. Let’s not forget that District 9 director Neil Blomkamp came out of the VFX world as well, and he was able to make that film look incredible on the cheap.

Says Gratner:

Character development is the most critical part of ‘UFO,’ and Joshua’s terrific talent and range is exactly what I need to convey the inner conflict of the character of Paul Foster.

I would agree with him there from Jackson’s Fringe performance alone. He went on to star in a few films post-Dawson, including Shutter and Battle in Seattle, but nothing of much note. Here’s hoping that his newfound relevancy with Fringe will lead to better things.